Methoxypolyethylene glycols with good water solubility, wettability, lubricity, physiological inertia, no irriation to human body and tenderness are widely used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry. The methoxypolyethylene glycols with different molecular scales are used for changing the viscosity, hygroscopicity and structure of product. The methoxypolyethylene glycols with low relative molecular weight (less than 2000) are fit for lubricant and consistency regulator in cream, emulsion, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc. The methoxypolyethylene glycols with high relative molecular weight are fit for lipstick, deodorant stick, toilet soap, shaving soap, foundation make-up, beauty products, etc. Methoxypolyethylene glycols can also be used for suspending agent and thickening agent in detergent. And in pharmaceutical industry, methoxypolyethylene glycols can be the matrix of ointment, emulsion, ointment, lotion and suppository.
Methoxypolyethylene glycols are obtained from the reaction between methanol and ethylene oxide, and the by-product PEG can be generated from the reaction between ethylene oxide and water in the reactor during the producing process, so a lot of absolute methanol or absolute ethanol is used for washing the reactor and removing water inside to avoid the production of the by-product and to reduce the consumption of ethylene oxide during the producing process of methoxypolyethylene glycols at the prior art with high production cost. Furthermore, the adding rate of ethylene oxide is low and causes long reaction time at the prior art, so that the synthetic process of methoxypolyethylene glycols is relative long.